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"Alright, everyone may rise." Seeing over a hundred members of the Breaking Clan kneeling before him, Ye Lan couldn't help but feel a surge of accomplishment.
The four single-attribute clans were like four wild stallions; in just a few days, he had managed to tame all of them.
From now on, even if the "Holy Hall" did not rely on the funds from "Artificial Spirit Rings," it would be able to sustain itself.
Furthermore, in his future plans, these four clans would play an incredibly vital role.
"Yes, My Lord!!" Yang Wudi hurriedly stood up. At this moment, he felt that the future of the Breaking Clan was exceptionally bright.
"Old Goat, didn't I say you were stubborn? To think it took so much of My Lord's energy to subdue your Breaking Clan," Bai He said with a chuckle.
Yang Wudi replied helplessly, "How was I to know My Lord was so terrifying? Not just his strength, but his abilities are simply too fearsome."
"Very well. Tai Shan, return with me to the Heaven Dou Empire first to handle the matter of the Clear Sky School. Bai He, Niu Gao, Yang Wudi—the three of you are to return to your respective clan lands immediately, pack up, and relocate to Spirit City. Once you arrive, Niu Gao, your Defense Clan will be responsible for the construction of the Holy Hall's main hall and various branch halls. The other two clans can head toward the vicinity of the Clear Sky School to rendezvous with me. After the blockade of the Clear Sky School is complete, I will make further arrangements for you," Ye Lan commanded.
"My Lord, do you mean we are going to attack the Clear Sky School now?!!" Yang Wudi exclaimed excitedly.
Among the four single-attribute clans, the ones who hated the Clear Sky School the most were the Breaking Clan and Yang Wudi himself; they wished they could stab the Clear Sky School every single day.
Ye Lan shook his head. "We are not attacking the Clear Sky School. It is simply that I no longer wish to see them living in peace and luxury."
"Previously, during the trial of Tang Yuehua, although she did not give up the Clear Sky School, her orchestration of the 'Heaven Dou Rebellion' was likely supported by the Clear Sky School behind the scenes, using her and the Moon Pavilion as their front."
"As the white glove of the Clear Sky School, the Moon Pavilion provided them with significant funds and supplies. When Spirit Hall raided the Moon Pavilion, they seized a large amount of resources, which were undoubtedly the very supplies the Clear Sky School required."
"Spirit Hall once had an agreement with the Clear Sky School: Spirit Hall would never infringe upon their territory, and in exchange, the Clear Sky School promised to remain sealed and never venture out."
"Clearly, the Clear Sky School did not follow the rules of the seal, yet Spirit Hall will not attack them because of it."
"While we cannot attack them, we can blockade them. Let these boors taste some hardship."
"My Lord is wise!!! I've been annoyed with those hammer-wielders for a long time. As long as any Spirit Douluo from the Clear Sky School dares to come out, I'll make sure to stab them in the back," Yang Wudi said excitedly.
"My Lord is wise!!! To think my Speed Clan was once an affiliated sect of the Clear Sky School, yet throughout the hardships we endured, the Clear Sky School and Moon Pavilion never helped us even once. If it weren't for my old brothers here, my Speed Clan might have had to become Evil Spirit Masters just to survive," Bai He cursed bitterly.
"My Lord, although old Niu also wants to join the fun at the Clear Sky School, for the sake of the 'Holy Hall,' the Defense Clan is willing to stay in Spirit City and focus on construction," Niu Gao said with resignation.
"Brother Gao, you rest easy and build those houses. I'll definitely help vent some frustrations on your behalf," Tai Shan comforted him.
Seeing that everyone agreed to the blockade, Ye Lan continued, "After the banquet tonight, we shall begin the operation!"
"Yes!! My Lord." Subsequently, everyone went to notify their respective clansmen.
Just then, Bai Chenxiang hugged Ye Lan's arm and said uneasily:
"Idol, I will cultivate hard to keep up with the sisters!"
Seeing her anxious expression, Ye Lan knew exactly what her concerns were.
After all, Bai Chenxiang was a latecomer. Facing the likes of Xiao Xue and the others, she felt she was in a weak position, and she was not the type to aggressively compete for favor.
"Don't worry, this time you will accompany me directly to the Clear Sky School. Enshrined Priest Qing Luan is already there ahead of us to blockade the sect. When the time comes, I will help you obtain Priest Qing Luan's blood to create an Artificial Spirit Ring. After that, I will have him take you as his disciple. You must learn well from Master Qing Luan when the time comes."
"In the entire Douluo Continent, aside from a few Limit Douluos, the fastest person is the Rank 97 Qing Luan Douluo!" Ye Lan introduced.
Bai Chenxiang suddenly hugged Ye Lan tightly, a smile curling on her lips as she said happily, "Idol, you are so good to me!! A Rank 97 Super Douluo!! That's a level of existence I never even dared to dream of before!!"
Ye Lan rubbed her head without saying a word. In the past, even if he knew Priest Qing Luan, he wouldn't have had Bai Chenxiang apprentice under him.
After all, Qing Luan Douluo was an Enshrined Priest of the Douluo Temple; Ye Lan was only on good terms with him because of Xiao Xue.
If he hadn't created the "Artificial Spirit Rings," he certainly wouldn't have done this.
To do so without that contribution would have looked like he was relying on Xiao Xue's status to help his other women, which would have made Bai Chenxiang feel inferior in front of her.
But things were different now. He had created the Artificial Spirit Rings for Spirit Hall. His current status and importance within Spirit Hall did not rely on being the Pope's disciple or the Holy Son, but on the tangible contribution he had made.
Therefore, with his current standing, Priest Qing Luan would not refuse his request.
Furthermore, Bai Chenxiang had consumed the Ten-Thousand-Year Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, and her talent was no longer what it once was.
In the past, her limit was roughly at the Spirit Douluo stage, but now, with the talent provided by the immortal herb—combined with Artificial Spirit Rings, the Soul Core method, the Spirit Power Limit Attachment, and the Spirit Possession Adaptation method—he was fully confident in cultivating her into a Super Douluo on the level of a Holy Knight.
Before leaving Wugeng City, Ye Lan spent a day touring the city with Bai Chenxiang.
That night, the melancholy young girl was extremely proactive, the beauty of which is beyond words.
---
Heaven Dou Empire, Outside the Mountains, Clear Sky School.
"This meat is rotten!!! How did that dead cook prepare this?? If it happens again, don't bother cooking—just replace the man!!" Tang Xiao roared, slamming a chicken leg onto the floor.
Below him, a simply dressed servant trembled incessantly, not daring to talk back.
Looking at the "rotten" chicken leg that the Sect Master of the Clear Sky School treated with such disdain, the servant watched the grease glistening on the skin and found himself salivating wildly.
"Where is Xiao Dao? Has he not brought back supplies yet??" Tang Xiao asked impatiently.
At this time, another middle-aged man dressed in the elegant attire of the Clear Sky School, Tang Ren, spoke up:
"Sect Master, Xiao Dao hasn't sent any news back at all. Our connection with the outside world has been completely severed by Spirit Hall."
"I don't know what madness has gripped Spirit Hall, but they actually sent a Rank 97 Super Douluo to personally stand guard outside the Clear Sky School. Currently, none of our scouts can get out."
"Even in the back mountains, there are Spirit Hall's Douluo Warriors and Pope's Warriors guarding every passage."
"Right now, I'm afraid only the elders and you, Sect Master, can get out."
"Sigh!! Do I not know that? But how can the elders and I leave? The 'Heaven Dou Rebellion' failed, and as for Yuehua..." Tang Xiao felt a wave of unease thinking about recent events, but he didn't dare be certain. After all, Yuehua was one of his few remaining kin.
"If we Title Douluos go out and are discovered, I'm afraid Spirit Hall won't just blockade us—they will attack the sect directly!" Tang Xiao said helplessly.
"No, we must negotiate with Spirit Hall, or this cannot continue! We're down to eating coarse grains; is that even fit for human consumption?" Tang Xiao questioned.
Just then, a man in a black robe suddenly appeared outside the hall.
"Who?!" Tang Xiao immediately locked onto the mysterious figure.
Thump!!
The black-robed man knelt on the ground, kowtowing three times toward the wooden tablet enshrined in the main hall, crying out in pain:
"Great-Grandfather, Grandfather, Father!! This unfilial grandson is not worthy of returning to the Clear Sky School!!!"
"Tang Hao?! Tang Hao!!! Brother, have you finally returned to the sect!!" Tang Xiao exclaimed in pleasant surprise, moving to help Tang Hao up.
"Brother, I am not worthy!!"
"Yuehua!! Yuehua is dead!!" Tang Hao wailed, his face covered in tears.
Tang Xiao gripped Tang Hao's shoulders, his facial muscles instantly freezing. "You... you!! What did you say?!"
The servant kneeling on the ground felt a flicker of excitement upon hearing this news, thinking to himself: Good riddance. These dogs all deserve to die.
"Everyone, get the hell out!!!" Tang Xiao roared at the second-generation disciples and the servants.
In a short while, only two people remained in the main hall of the Clear Sky School.
"Hao, what happened? Why did Spirit Hall blockade the Clear Sky School?"
After a moment of silence, Tang Hao said, "Yuehua's orchestration of the 'Heaven Dou Rebellion' was discovered. In the end, she was captured by Spirit Hall and put in the death cells. Later..."
Tang Hao thought of the gruesome images and could not continue.
"Did Yuehua... did she confess??" Tang Xiao asked uneasily.
Just then, a violent surge of spirit power sent Tang Xiao flying back over a dozen meters, overturning numerous wooden tablets.
"Cough, cough... Tang Hao, do you know what you're doing??" Tang Xiao wiped the blood from his mouth and roared.
Remembering Tang Xiao's status as the Sect Master, Tang Hao suppressed his rage and said:
"You bunch of useless failures! How could you let Yuehua show her face for the 'Heaven Dou Rebellion'!!! For the sake of the sect, she kept the secret to the end. She was tortured by Spirit Hall and finally, amidst the curses of tens of thousands, she was publicly beheaded!!!"
"Yuehua... I haven't even been able to retrieve her body!!!"
"..." Tang Xiao was left speechless, but hearing that Yuehua hadn't given up the Clear Sky School, he knew the sect still had a chance.
The two remained silent for a long time until Tang Xiao broke the tension.
"It was my lack of foresight. But things have come to this; how do we handle the Spirit Hall forces outside the sect?" Tang Xiao asked.
Tang Hao recalled Ye Lan's warning: if he or the Clear Sky School dared to retaliate against anyone, then the Clear Sky School and Tang San would face full-scale retaliation from Spirit Hall.
Tang Hao glanced at Tang Xiao and said, "Keep the sect sealed. We have plenty of stored grain from before; it's not like it's inedible."
Thinking of the nearly rotting coarse grain, Tang Xiao said with a difficult expression, "Is that human food? Even livestock wouldn't eat it!!"
"What then? Do we confront Spirit Hall head-on?? We still haven't found a single trace of the Old Ancestor's whereabouts after all these years!!"
"And if we fight back, the Clear Sky School and Little San will be truly finished!!" Tang Hao roared.
"Little San? Your and Ah Yin's... her child?" Tang Xiao's expression was complex.
At this moment, a light flickered in Tang Hao's weathered eyes as he said solemnly:
"Now, all the hope of the Clear Sky School lies with Little San!! Only he can lead us to the peak!!"
"Him? He's only seventeen. Spirit Hall has produced the 'Peerless Generation.' Didn't Little San lose completely to Ye Lan?" Tang Xiao countered.
Thinking of Spirit Hall's terrifying foundation of Title Douluos and their even more terrifying rising stars, Tang Xiao had no idea where the future of the Clear Sky School lay.
"He can!! Little San can definitely do it!! He is a once-in-a-millennium Twin Spirit user, and he has obtained the Asura God Trial!! As long as he becomes the Asura God, then Spirit Hall and the Myriad Beast Sect will be utterly powerless. At that time, the Clear Sky School will stand above the Douluo Continent as a true God-level sect!!" Tang Hao said fanatically.
"Asura God?! Little San... can he really become a God?!" Tang Xiao was ecstatic.
"Exactly. So for now, we must endure. In less than twenty years, Little San will definitely become a God!! That will be the time when the Clear Sky School unifies the Douluo Continent," Tang Hao said excitedly.
"Good, good, good!! Truly a descendant of our Clear Sky School!!! Truly the seed of you and Ah Yin!!!" Tang Xiao exclaimed.
Seeing that Tang Xiao would not do anything stupid to provoke Spirit Hall, Tang Hao said:
"Brother, I am leaving. Tang San's position is exposed, but he must complete the God Trials, so I must stay by his side at all times. No matter what, you must hold out in the Clear Sky School until the day San becomes a God!!"
"Alright!! Little San's safety is the most important. I will look after the sect!!" Tang Xiao said hurriedly.
Outside the Clear Sky School, squads of Douluo Warriors were stationed in scattered groups.
Among the hundreds of white tents, there was one exceptionally large tent, guarded by two rows of Douluo Warriors standing ramrod straight.
As the warriors were lost in thought, a middle-aged man wearing green feather-patterned armor stepped out from the large white tent.
Just as the warriors were wondering why Priest Qing Luan had come out, the heavy thudding of horse hooves echoed from the distance.
Shortly after, a carriage led by six horses came to a halt.
Tai Shan quickly climbed down from the driver's seat and opened the rear carriage door. A blonde youth and a blue-haired girl stepped out.
"Your Highness the Holy Son, I presume this is your newly befriended little girlfriend?" the Qing Luan Douluo asked with an eccentric expression.
Sensing Qing Luan Douluo's probing gaze, Ye Lan remained unfazed.
"Grandpa Qing Luan, long time no see! Let me introduce you. This is the young clan head of the Speed Clan, Bai Chenxiang."
"As of now, the entire Speed Clan has pledged total loyalty to the Holy Hall. So, Grandpa Qing Luan, please do not treat Chenxiang as a remnant of the Clear Sky School."
Qing Luan Douluo sized her up and remarked casually, "Have you been to Spirit City yet? Before I left for the Clear Sky School, Xiao Xue's mind wasn't exactly focused on cultivation."
"Let's deal with the Clear Sky School first. By the way, Grandpa Qing Luan, haven't you always wanted a disciple? What do you think of Chenxiang?" Ye Lan said with a smile.
"The Needle-Tailed Swift and the Qing Luan... they don't exactly match, do they?" the Enshrined Priest replied helplessly.
"Chenxiang, show your Master your Spirit!!" Ye Lan instructed.
Hearing Ye Lan's words, Qing Luan knew he would likely have no choice but to accept this disciple.
Bai Chenxiang nodded, and the "Needle-Tailed Swift" that had awakened the "Qing Luan Bloodline" instantly manifested behind her.
As he stared at the azure swift behind her, the Enshrined Priest's expression shifted instantly from resignation to pleasant surprise.
"Good! Good! Good!! Xiao Lan, I'll take this disciple you've recommended!!! As for Spirit City, there's no rush. You should spend more time with Chenxiang."
Qing Luan could clearly see the changes in the Needle-Tailed Swift. Furthermore, the awakened Qing Luan bloodline hadn't assimilated the Swift; rather, it was a fusion of the strengths of both—the fastest bird spirit combined with the spirit most adept at wind manipulation. Between this powerful combination and the spirit skills and cultivation methods developed by Xiao Lan, he believed Bai Chenxiang was fully capable of inheriting his mantle.
Besides gaining such an excellent disciple, Ye Lan would technically be his son-in-law in the future.
After all, "a teacher for a day is a father for life," so Qing Luan was more than happy to see things work out between Ye Lan and Bai Chenxiang.
As for Xiao Xue's side... ahem.
When a man is as outstanding as Ye Lan, who wouldn't have a few wives and concubines?
"Disciple greets Master!!"
Bai Chenxiang immediately kowtowed three times to the Enshrined Priest and bowed deeply.
This was an opportunity her idol had fought to get for her; she did not want to let him down.
"Good, good, my good disciple. This is a 70,000-year Wind Eagle Right Leg Bone. Keep it safe!!" Qing Luan Douluo looked at his respectful disciple with increasing affection.
"Master, I cannot accept such a precious spirit bone!! Please keep it for your own use!!" Bai Chenxiang waved her hands hurriedly.
"Don't worry, I already have a ten-thousand-year right leg bone. This one is just sitting around; take it." Qing Luan pushed the spirit bone, which was glowing with green light, into Bai Chenxiang's arms.
While Bai Chenxiang was caught in a dilemma, Ye Lan said:
"Xiang'er, keep it. We are all family; no need for formalities."
"Alright!! Thank you, Master!!"
Holding the heavy spirit bone, Bai Chenxiang felt a warmth spreading through her heart.
To the side, Silver Wolf and Tai Shan watched the exchange with eyes full of envy and jealousy. Damn it, they don't even have spirit bones yet!
Xiao Lan/My Lord, when are you going to develop ten-thousand-year spirit bones?!
"Grandpa Qing Luan, let's have Chenxiang absorb this spirit bone directly. It should boost her physical attributes so that she can absorb a ten-thousand-year ring for her fourth spirit ring—after all, artificial rings don't have soul shocks," Ye Lan suggested.
"Good!! By the way, Xiao Lan, how should we choose Chenxiang's spirit rings?" Qing Luan asked. Ye Lan was now the number one grandmaster of theory in the entire Douluo Continent; even a Super Douluo like himself fully acknowledged Ye Lan's ability to train spirit masters.
"For the fourth ring, use your own spirit's origin ring, Grandpa Qing Luan. Let Chenxiang's Qing Luan bloodline awaken further."
"As for subsequent rings, we'll need to observe the direction of her spirit's evolution. I will keep a close eye on any changes," Ye Lan explained.
"Alright, I'll condense a ten-thousand-year Qing Luan artificial ring right now! Chenxiang, start absorbing the spirit bone!" Qing Luan said urgently.
"Chenxiang, good luck!! I'll be right here to support you!!" Ye Lan added, already planning to provide the "Mist of Life."
"Okay!!" Bai Chenxiang nodded and began the absorption process, while Qing Luan Douluo started condensing the artificial ring for her.
Ye Lan stood guard, ensuring she remained safe throughout.
A day later, Bai Chenxiang successfully absorbed a 12,000-year artificial spirit ring. Her spirit quality improved further, now rivaling that of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. He believed that with steady growth, she would eventually evolve into a Super Spirit.
In the following days, Ye Lan spent his time accompanying Bai Chenxiang and waiting for Yang Wudi, Bai He, and the others.
Currently, the "Four Single-Attribute Clans" had not yet officially joined the "Holy Hall."
This meant they could still enter the Clear Sky School's sphere of influence, which made it easier for Ye Lan to execute the blockade.
Several days later, Yang Wudi and Bai He arrived with dozens of clansmen to rendezvous with Ye Lan.
Once gathered, Ye Lan took Tai Shan, Yang Wudi, and Bai He, along with their clansmen and a Spirit Hall escort, toward the mountain range to observe the terrain and finalize the blockade.
Before they had traveled far, a village appeared in the distance.
"Your Highness, ahead is Fuzu Village, which belongs to the Clear Sky School. Aside from this village, there are other mountain villages at the foot of the peaks that belong to them," a Douluo Captain introduced.
"Is this area part of their territory?" Ye Lan asked.
"Not exactly!! Strictly speaking, their territory is only on the mountains. These villages at the foot of the mountains only work for them out of fear of their power."
"It is said the Clear Sky School has snatched many young women from these villages to serve their masters as slaves and servants. Many children who enter the Clear Sky School never come out again," the captain explained.
"What a bunch of feudal remnants—they can't even stay quiet while their sect is supposed to be sealed," Ye Lan criticized.
"Feudal remnants?" Yang Wudi asked, confused.
"Nothing. Let's go!! Let's see what's happening in Fuzu Village!!" Ye Lan said.
---
Fuzu Village was a desolate settlement where thin villagers dressed in patched gray clothes were engaged in farm work.
In this deathly quiet atmosphere, an uninvited guest suddenly appeared.
The moment a middle-aged man in luxurious black clothing appeared, a wave of pressure crushed the frail villagers and livestock to the ground.
A thin middle-aged villager, pinned to the earth, had a flicker of hatred in his eyes as he cried out in pain:
"Master Tang Ren!! Why have you come!!"
"Hmph, a bunch of useless trash. I told you to provide meat, and you give us rotten chicken legs!? Do I have to come down the mountain and catch the chickens myself?!" Tang Ren roared.
His eyes then glowed with green light as he spotted several plump hens.
The Sect Master liked chicken legs; surely he wouldn't mind if Tang Ren kept a few wing tips for himself?
Salivating, Tang Ren walked straight toward the hens. His hands moved in a blur, and in the blink of an eye, he was holding three old hens in each hand.
"Wait!!!! Those are our laying hens!!!!"
"Don't kill them!!! Without them, how can Fuzu Village provide meat in the future!!!" the middle-aged village chief wailed in agony.
Those hens were the only "golden geese" left in the village. Unless they died of old age or sickness, they would never dream of slaughtering them.
Not long ago, a hen had died of illness.
To provide meat for the Clear Sky School, the people of Fuzu Village hadn't even dared to take a single bite for themselves.
"Hmph!! What does that have to do with me?? If you don't have a way, find one!"
"I don't know what the sect keeps you useless trash for—you can't even raise a few chickens!"
(End of Chapter)